EXPLORA VI

EXPLORA VI at a glance

EXPLORA VI is the sixth ship in the Explora Journeys fleet, built around the concept of ocean-resort living — unhurried days at sea, a broad choice of included dining, and a suite-led cabin philosophy. She sails the Western Mediterranean and broader Mediterranean Sea, making her a natural choice for Australians looking to explore Italy, Spain, Croatia, France, Montenegro, Tunisia and Albania in a single voyage.

• Line: Explora Journeys
• Regions: Western Mediterranean and Mediterranean Sea
• Home ports: Rome (Civitavecchia), Barcelona, Fusina (Venice)
• Countries visited: Italy, Spain, Croatia, France, Montenegro, Tunisia, Albania
• Known for: resort-style ocean living, a wide range of included and speciality dining venues, and a stern Cocoon Residence with a full-width panoramic terrace

Sailings run from late 2026, with itineraries of up to 17 nights. Browse Mediterranean cruises in 2026 or jump straight to Mediterranean cruises in 2027 to see what is available on her.

Dining on EXPLORA VI

EXPLORA VI carries one of the widest dining selections afloat, spanning relaxed all-day venues, speciality restaurants with a cover charge, and round-the-clock in-suite dining for suite guests.

Included in your fare are several full-service restaurants. Fil Rouge is the all-day French-influenced dining room, open from breakfast through dinner. Med Yacht Club brings a casual Mediterranean atmosphere with sea views. Emporium Marketplace runs live global cooking stations throughout the day. Shore Club delivers coastal-inspired dishes and light bites at the poolside in a sun-filled setting, ideal for an unhurried lunch.

For something more considered, several speciality venues carry a cover charge. Anthology is a rotating guest-chef fine-dining restaurant where the menu changes each voyage. Marble & Co. Grill is a contemporary steakhouse with an open kitchen, where premium cuts are prepared in view of the table. Sakura covers pan-Asian cuisine — Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Korean — and takes advance reservations. Chef Table offers the most intimate experience: a single table, a personalised à la carte meal, crafted to your preferences.

Suite guests can draw on In Suite Dining around the clock, with the full variety of the main restaurants available to the terrace or the suite itself.

Bars and lounges on EXPLORA VI

The bar and lounge programme is one of the defining features of life on board, with spaces ranging from a walk-in whisky humidor to an open-air rooftop bar.

The Journeys Lounge is the ship's largest social space, shifting across the day from mixology sessions and enrichment talks to cabaret entertainment. The Astern Lounge sits at the social heart of the ship, hosting daily events for every mood. The Explora Lounge is a naturally lit retreat for quiet reading, light meals or afternoon tea, with ocean views throughout — and inside it, the Malt Whiskey Bar houses a curated global whisky collection, a walk-in humidor and an outdoor terrace.

The Cellar is a wine bar focused on Old World classics and New World discoveries. Crema Cafe handles coffee and light refreshments throughout the day. The Lobby Bar occupies the heart of the ship and doubles as a live music spot.

Outdoors, Sky Bar On 14 sits on Deck 14 with panoramic ocean views — the right spot for a sundowner. The Helios Pool Bar on Deck 12 is an adults-only forward-facing retreat. The Astern Pool Bar runs alongside the infinity pool by day and turns to live acoustic sets and DJs in the evening. The Conservatory Pool Bar shelters a pool lounge by day and converts to an open-air cinema at night — with the Gelateria Creperie at the Conservatory nearby for gelato and crêpes served à la carte.

Cabins on EXPLORA VI

EXPLORA VI is built around suite-style accommodation, and the standout grade available on these sailings is the Cocoon Residence (CR). At 74 m², this balcony-category residence is set at the stern and occupies the full width of the ship, with approximately 75 m² of private panoramic terrace — among the most generous private outdoor spaces at sea. It sleeps up to four guests, making it well suited to families or those travelling as a group of four.

For the full picture of grades, layouts and deck positions, visit the EXPLORA VI cabins and deck plans page.

Where EXPLORA VI sails

All current sailings are in the Mediterranean, departing from three ports: Rome (Civitavecchia), Barcelona and Fusina (Venice). Itineraries touch Italy, Spain, Croatia, France, Montenegro, Tunisia and Albania across voyages of varying lengths.

You can search by year and region: all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises in 2026 and all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises in 2027 both filter to exactly the kind of sailing EXPLORA VI offers. If you prefer to browse all options by departure port, the cruises from Barcelona in 2027 page is a useful starting point for western itineraries.

For a broader view across the region and all operators, Mediterranean cruise deals and offers and the cheap Mediterranean cruise deals search pages show the full range available through Cruise1st.

Why book EXPLORA VI with Cruise1st

Cruise1st is backed by Australian cruise experts, seven days a week — local specialists you can speak to before you commit, who know these itineraries and can help match the right cabin grade and fare inclusions to your situation.

Every booking is covered by our Best Price Guarantee, so you can book with confidence. And because every EXPLORA VI sailing departs from Italy or Spain, the cruise is the middle of a longer trip — we book the flights, the hotel either side and the transfers, as one holiday, through our Cruise1st Packages. One booking, one point of contact, no gaps.

From A$6,450pp*, sailings are available from late 2026. If you want to compare what is on sale right now, the Europe cruises search page shows all departures across the region.

Alternatives to EXPLORA VI

If you are weighing your options, the other ships in the Explora Journeys fleet — EXPLORA I, EXPLORA II and Explora III — are worth considering alongside EXPLORA VI.

Beyond the fleet, two ships sail from the same ports and visit the same countries — Italy, Spain, Croatia and France — so they are straightforward to compare with no flight required:

• Seabourn Ovation (Seabourn) — departs the same ports and calls at the same countries. A direct alternative with no flight needed.
• Silver Dawn (Silversea) — also departs from the same ports and shares the same itinerary countries. Again, no flight required — the same kind of trip.

Common questions about EXPLORA VI

Which restaurants on EXPLORA VI are included in the fare?

Several dining venues are included without a supplement: Fil Rouge (all-day French-influenced dining), Med Yacht Club (casual Mediterranean), Emporium Marketplace (global live-cooking stations) and Shore Club (poolside coastal dishes). Speciality restaurants — Anthology, Marble & Co. Grill, Sakura and Chef Table — carry a cover charge and most take advance reservations.

Is in-suite dining available around the clock?

Yes, but only for suite guests. In Suite Dining operates 24 hours a day and offers the full variety of the main restaurant menus, whether you choose to dine inside the suite or on your private terrace.

Do I need to fly to join EXPLORA VI?

All sailings currently on sale depart from Rome (Civitavecchia), Barcelona or Fusina (Venice), so yes — you will need to fly from Australia to reach the embarkation port. Cruise1st can book the flights, pre- or post-cruise hotels and transfers alongside the cruise, packaging everything into a single Cruise1st Package.

Which cabin should I book on EXPLORA VI?

The only grade with published details for these sailings is the Cocoon Residence (CR) — a 74 m² balcony residence at the stern with around 75 m² of private panoramic terrace spanning the full width of the ship, sleeping up to four. For the complete range of cabin grades and deck layouts, the EXPLORA VI cabins and deck plans page has everything you need to compare options before booking.

How long are the EXPLORA VI Mediterranean itineraries?

Current sailings range up to 17 nights. The mix of Western Mediterranean and broader Mediterranean Sea itineraries means there are shorter and longer options, departing from Rome, Barcelona and Venice across the 2026 and 2027 season.